Surging Meng Bo Focused On Grappling Ahead Of Pivotal Clash With ‘Judo Master’ Ayaka Miura
Chinese knockout artist Meng Bo is fine-tuning all aspects of her game ahead of her strawweight MMA showdown with Japanese submission specialist Ayaka “Zombie” Miura at ONE Fight Night 16: Haggerty vs. Andrade on Prime Video.
That pivotal U.S. primetime matchup on November 3 will be Meng’s chance to extend her two-fight winning streak and make her case for a shot at divisional gold.
Highly regarded for her elite striking and big power, the 27-year-old has already scored a trio of highlight-reel knockouts in ONE.
However, she’s focusing her training camp on grappling ahead of her battle with the physically imposing Miura at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Meng said:
“It’s true that my opponent is a judo master, but this is MMA. My wrestling coach has been helping me with this preparation and has ways to deal with my opponent.”
The Chinese athlete’s takedown and submission defense will certainly need to be sharp against “Zombie,” who owns a 100 percent submission rate across her four MMA victories in ONE.
However, Meng believes she’s finally turned a corner in the grappling department.
After winning her first three bouts in ONE, she suffered a two-fight skid, exposing some weaknesses in her ground game. But since then, she’s won two straight and seems to have cleaned up her deficiencies.
Meng said:
“Everyone is aware of my strength in striking, but my previous weakness was in grappling. Now, I am constantly improving my grappling and wrestling skills, and I also keep strengthening my striking.”
While she respects Miura’s world-class judo and ground game, Meng is largely dismissive of her foe’s overall skill set.
She thinks the Japanese star is little more than a tough fighter with a good chin. The key to victory, she says, is landing strikes with show-stopping power:
“I think Miura is weak in everything except handling punches well, so all I have to do is throw harder punches.”
Meng Targeting All-Chinese World Title Fight With Xiong
If Meng Bo can get past Ayaka Miura at ONE Fight Night 16, she’ll have won three straight in the talent-laden women’s strawweight MMA division and will be knocking on the door of a World Title shot.
The Sunkin Fight Club representative feels that a crack at long-reigning divisional queen Xiong Jing Nan should be next, but if not, she’s happy to keep piling up victories until she can’t be denied:
“My goal is always the World Championship. If I win this fight, I want to have a title fight. And if I don’t get this chance, then I will ask for it again next time or until it’s given to me. I’m in no hurry. It’ll be mine sooner or later.”
A World Title fight between Chinese compatriots would be monumental for the country. But her part, Meng wants to lock horns with the titleholder because she holds the biggest prize in the sport.
The bonus, she adds, is that the ONE Women’s Strawweight MMA World Title would stay in China.
Meng added:
“I want to challenge Xiong Jing Nan not because she’s Xiong Jing Nan, but because Xiong Jing Nan is the champion. So I think I’m just here to take over the gold belt because we are all Chinese. And of course, whoever wins, the title belongs to China.”
